If it weren't for religion, we wouldn't be here right now.

[dstebbins]

Let me enlighten you on what I mean.

If it weren't for religion, we would have no law, no morality, and no civilization. In fact, we would just be cavemen if it weren't for religion.

Look back to the history of the homo sapien race. The first step that mankind took from the rest of the animal kingdom towards civilization was the concept of supernaturality, which eventually evolved into religion.

With that leap, we developed emotion. We also eventually developed the power of thought, which is where we got the concept of right and wrong, which REALLY broke us away from other animals. Keep in mind that absolutely everything that we judge based on morality is tied in some way to religion. If it's not found in some religious teaching, whether it be Christianity, Islam, or even Greek Mythology, then it's not considered morally wrong or right. I garentee you that, had Moses not made a verse in the book of Leviticus against gays, we would picture homosexuality as just another difference in culture and not some kind of moral abomination. Heck, had there not been a religious teaching against murder, it would be perfectly socially acceptable!

With morality in place, we (and by "we," I mean man) were able to make decisions in everyday life based on what we considered morally right and wrong. The choices that were most commonly made evolved into what we call "law." We also developed the concept of punishment in order to encourage people who disagree with the popular moral-based opinion to follow the popular moral-based opinion. Again, all law is based on morality. Name me one law, written or common, that cannot be traced back to some kind of moral teaching, which, in turn, cannot be traced back to religion.

To wrap it all up, don't you find it weird that homo sapiens, with their lackluster physical skill, were able to develop the mind power necessary to become the most dominate species in the world? No other race in the history of the earth has reached the intellect that Man has, and that is of billions of years of evolution. Then there's the theory of the big bang. According to this threory, there was once no time or space, and then out of this oblivion, all the matter and energy of the universe just magically appeared? That is in direct conflict with the law of conservation of mass: Matter cannot be created nor destroyed. So now scientists have to pick which one they want to believe, the Big Bang or the Law of Conservation.

I'm not saying that this proves the existance of God. What I am saying is that there has got to be something out there, something that has caused us, the homo sapien race, to dominate nature, despite our power and speed. Whether it be a God or something not yet explained, there has got to be something out there.

 

[LeftyHenry]

Let me enlighten you on what I mean.
If it weren't for religion, we would have no law, no morality, and no civilization. In fact, we would just be cavemen if it weren't for religion.

Untrue, It wasn't religion that came before right and wrong it was the other wa around (although christians say otherwise).

You don't have to be religious to be spirtual, ethical, and smart. I'm an atheist and I believe religion is just something for man to lean on after all the bad things you've done. Particularly Christianity in which allyou have do to be forgiven for killing 1000's of people is memorize a few prayers and say your sorry.

Also, if there was a god do really think he would be able to watch his own people shrival up and die of starvation? Little baby infants with nothing to eat just lying there waiting to die as there stomach eats there insides.
Must be one cruel god

of course I'm getting a little off topic but I think that things like right and wrong and morals were instincts. Then when man started thinking and competing against one another they created religion to see who could manipulate the masses

 

[Herophant]

Let me enlighten you on what I mean.

If it weren't for religion, we would have no law, no morality, and no civilization. In fact, we would just be cavemen if it weren't for religion.

Look back to the history of the homo sapien race. The first step that mankind took from the rest of the animal kingdom towards civilization was the concept of supernaturality, which eventually evolved into religion.

With that leap, we developed emotion. We also eventually developed the power of thought, which is where we got the concept of right and wrong, which REALLY broke us away from other animals. Keep in mind that absolutely everything that we judge based on morality is tied in some way to religion. If it's not found in some religious teaching, whether it be Christianity, Islam, or even Greek Mythology, then it's not considered morally wrong or right. I garentee you that, had Moses not made a verse in the book of Leviticus against gays, we would picture homosexuality as just another difference in culture and not some kind of moral abomination. Heck, had there not been a religious teaching against murder, it would be perfectly socially acceptable!

With morality in place, we (and by "we," I mean man) were able to make decisions in everyday life based on what we considered morally right and wrong. The choices that were most commonly made evolved into what we call "law." We also developed the concept of punishment in order to encourage people who disagree with the popular moral-based opinion to follow the popular moral-based opinion. Again, all law is based on morality. Name me one law, written or common, that cannot be traced back to some kind of moral teaching, which, in turn, cannot be traced back to religion.

To wrap it all up, don't you find it weird that homo sapiens, with their lackluster physical skill, were able to develop the mind power necessary to become the most dominate species in the world? No other race in the history of the earth has reached the intellect that Man has, and that is of billions of years of evolution. Then there's the theory of the big bang. According to this threory, there was once no time or space, and then out of this oblivion, all the matter and energy of the universe just magically appeared? That is in direct conflict with the law of conservation of mass: Matter cannot be created nor destroyed. So now scientists have to pick which one they want to believe, the Big Bang or the Law of Conservation.

I'm not saying that this proves the existance of God. What I am saying is that there has got to be something out there, something that has caused us, the homo sapien race, to dominate nature, despite our power and speed. Whether it be a God or something not yet explained, there has got to be something out there.

Thats just bulshit propaganda. Less religius western democracies have less murders and other problems assosiated with "unmoral atheists".

Here is a few quotes:


“In general, higher rates of belief in and worship of a creator correlate with higher rates of homicide, juvenile and early adult mortality, STD infection rates, teen pregnancy, and abortion in the prosperous democracies”

“Although they are by no means utopias, the populations of secular democracies are clearly able to govern themselves and maintain societal cohesion. Indeed, the data examined in this study demonstrates that only the more secular, pro-evolution democracies have, for the first time in history, come closest to achieving practical “cultures of life” that feature low rates of lethal crime, juvenile-adult mortality, sex related dysfunction, and even abortion. The least theistic secular developed democracies such as Japan, France, and Scandinavia have been most successful in these regards.”

“The non-religious, pro-evolution democracies contradict the dictum that a society cannot enjoy good conditions unless most citizens ardently believe in a moral creator. The widely held fear that a Godless citizenry must experience societal disaster is therefore refuted.”

Article at
http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/2005/2005-11.html
__________________

 

[tecoyah]

Let me enlighten you on what I mean.



Look back to the history of the homo sapien race. The first step that mankind took from the rest of the animal kingdom towards civilization was the concept of supernaturality, which eventually evolved into religion.

I take it anthropology is not your primary field of study....heh

With that leap, we developed emotion. We also eventually developed the power of thought, which is where we got the concept of right and wrong, which REALLY broke us away from other animals.

....uh.....Emotion seems to come from a thought process, not the other way around.

Keep in mind that absolutely everything that we judge based on morality is tied in some way to religion.

Keep in mind that virtually every religion was created to judge Morality

If it's not found in some religious teaching, whether it be Christianity, Islam, or even Greek Mythology, then it's not considered morally wrong or right. I garentee you that, had Moses not made a verse in the book of Leviticus against gays, we would picture homosexuality as just another difference in culture and not some kind of moral abomination.

Many of us DONT consider this a moral abomination, but rather a difference in cuture.....I garentee it

Heck, had there not been a religious teaching against murder, it would be perfectly socially acceptable!

I very much Doubt this would be the case

With morality in place, we (and by "we," I mean man) were able to make decisions in everyday life based on what we considered morally right and wrong. The choices that were most commonly made evolved into what we call "law." We also developed the concept of punishment in order to encourage people who disagree with the popular moral-based opinion to follow the popular moral-based opinion. Again, all law is based on morality. Name me one law, written or common, that cannot be traced back to some kind of moral teaching, which, in turn, cannot be traced back to religion.

Mostly True

To wrap it all up, don't you find it weird that homo sapiens, with their lackluster physical skill, were able to develop the mind power necessary to become the most dominate species in the world? No other race in the history of the earth has reached the intellect that Man has, and that is of billions of years of evolution.

Its called a highly developed brain (comparatively speaking), which is inevitable in my opinion, when the time scales are considered.


Then there's the theory of the big bang. According to this threory, there was once no time or space, and then out of this oblivion, all the matter and energy of the universe just magically appeared? That is in direct conflict with the law of conservation of mass: Matter cannot be created nor destroyed. So now scientists have to pick which one they want to believe, the Big Bang or the Law of Conservation.

Actually....no they dont. Ever heard of "M" theory?

I'm not saying that this proves the existance of God. What I am saying is that there has got to be something out there, something that has caused us, the homo sapien race, to dominate nature, despite our power and speed. Whether it be a God or something not yet explained, there has got to be something out there.

There is.....we call it Natural Selection


* and I cant help saying this....its bugging me terribly....Homo Sapien is a Species...not a Race.